Side-frame cross connection.



W. .I. LYNCH.

SIDE FRAME CROSS CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE'I3. I914.

Patented May18, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

WARREN J LYNCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES,

OF NEW. YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SIDE-FRAME CROSS CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 18, 1915.

Application filed June 13,1914. Serial No. 844,874.

' To all whom it may concern:

.between the side fram'es of a car truck.

It is well understood that a connection must be provided between adjacent side frames forming a part of a car truck, this connection formerly being called. a spring plank or sand plank. Usually, also, this connecting member has been in the form of a channel or wide plate; or in the form of two angles spaced apart a distance corre- 1 sponding to substantially the width of the, bolster. This connecting member was usually riveted or bolted securely to the side frames and produceda so-called square truck; that is, a truck without such flexibility as would permit of self adjustment thereof to inequalities in the track surface.

It has been found, however, that aflexible truck is desirable, and to this end the connecting element corresponding to the spring plank has been connected to the side frames- .in such manner as to allow for a limited universal movement.

' I'have, however, devised a cross connecting member having the functions of the spring plank which provides for flexibility and which has an added function in that the truck may be constructed with a shorter wheel base. This is accomplished by con- .structin the connecting member in the form qualities and reduces the friction between the wheels and the track.

Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is the fragmentary-plan view of a portlon of the side frame sill with the connectlng rod seated therein. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the sill and connecting rod. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sections takenon the lines 55, 6-6, 77. respectively of Fig. 3.

Referring more-particularly to the drawings, it will be seen the-invention is applied to a car truck having side frames 10, each thereof provided with an intermediate opening within which a bolster 11 is seated, the bolster, resting on springs 12.- The sill 13 of the side frame providesv a seat for the springs. The sill 13 is as shown in Figs. 2

and 4, recessed as at 14, to accommodate the eye 15 of the cross-connecting member 16.

A central upperly projecting lug 17 integral With'the sill 13 enters thecircular opening in the rod and provides for a rigid connection between the frames. However, suflicient clearance is provided between the engaging arts to permit the required flexibility. s shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the clear ance both around the eye 15 and at the shank 18 is suflicient to permit limited movement. The upper portion 19 of the eye is flattened to bring the surfaceinto parallelism with the top of the seat 13; the lower portion being slightly rounded as shown in 'Fig. 5. The shank is of similar construction, the bar assuming its round shape as shown in Fig. 7 throu hout the remainder of its length. As will e'seen the connect ing bar is'held in the position shown by the weight of the bolster exerted through sprin 12.

Thebrake hanger lugs 20 may, by reason of the use .of the bar here described, be placed close to the bolster 11, for the reason that the brake beam and brake heads willnot interfere with the spring plank. Thus the truck may be constructed with a shorter wheel base than has heretofore been possible, particularly in a loose or generally flexible truck. The advantage as here claimed could not be secured to the full extent in a truck having a rod orplate rigidly connecting the two side frames. If such construction were attempted the rod or plate being ofslight cross section would become broken at a point close to the side frames, the connecting member not providingsuflicient strength to resist the tendency to flexibility in the truck.

It is obvious that modifications may be made in the construction shown, and such modifications as arein the scope of my claims I consider Within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a car truck the combination of side frames each thereof having a recessed spring seat a boss located centrally within said recess, and a round rod provided With eyes in its ends connecting said side frames, said eyes being seated in the recesses in said spring seats and engaging said boss substantially as described.

2. In a car truck, the combination of side frames, each thereof having a spring seat provided with a recess therein, said recess being rounded at its bottom and providing a central boss, and an eye-bar connec ing rod for said frames, the eyes of said bar being rounded on one side. and flat on another side and being adapted to being seated in the recesses provided therefor in said frames, substantially as described.

WARREN J. LYNCH.

Witnesses:

R. F. DARBY, T. R. SADLER. 

